Streaming video content on smartphone. Photo: Broadcom

[Via Satellite 04-17-2014] Broadcom released a six stream 802.11ac MIMO platform for home networks, in effect doubling the Wi-Fi speed compared to MU MIMO routers and gateways. The new platform offers data rates of up to 3.2 Gbps and is designed for data-intensive uses such as high definition streaming.

The company’s Intelligent Quality of Service (iQos) software distributes bandwidth by giving applications such as YouTube or Netflix a higher priority over other secondary activities such as file downloads. It also ensures that other 802.11ac devices connected to the same network are not sharing airtime with slower Wi-Fi devices.

“With the booming Internet of Things ecosystem and demand to wirelessly stream simultaneous HD content on smartphones, tablets and smart-TVs, home networks today need a premium performance router that recognizes individual bandwidth requirements for an optimal experience,” said Rahul Patel, vice president and general manager of wireless connectivity combos at Broadcom.